Taylor Swift is everywhere right now and you can be, too.
Well, like me, you can be visible in the places you want to be without the pressures of fame and without a giant social crew.
I’ll use myself as a case study: I’m on Twitter (X), I’m on Facebook and LinkedIn. I self-classify as a “Lurker” on X and most of the time on Facebook, but I am everywhere on LinkedIn. I write articles on LinkedIn, I attend events and post about them on LinkedIn. I tag people, I comment and share professional connections and achievements on LinkedIn. Why? This is my medium for thought leadership. I learn from other thought leaders on LinkedIn and I am starting to learn the ropes while taking advantage of all the features of this platform.
What does Taylor Swift do? She posts photos of herself without makeup to show she is just like you and me. She posts reels on YouTube to promote her albums, but she doesn’t do it in a pushy, salesy way. She’s just checking in, showing you her cat and that she’s very approachable and “human.”
But enough about Taylor Swift and me… here’s what you can do right now to build your personal brand through thought leadership and “checking in.”
- Complete your LinkedIn profile – add a fun headshot; it could be taken on your phone or save the one from your firm bio & upload it to LinkedIn
- Update your “headline” – instead of letting it default to your title, describe how you help people or what you are known for in professional circles
- Change up your About section and share who you want to network with; don’t just list your job position and skills; make it about your connections!
- Post once per week – to start! You may find after you’ve commented & liked posts for a while, you’ll be inspired to post more on your own profile later… (save ideas to Notion, Buffer or even a little notepad nearby!)
- Update your LinkedIn URL to a unique handle – and share it! Add your unique URL to your email signature, add it to your web bio and more. (I can help you create it… just let me know.)
- Be willing to share something about your personal life – even just your favorite dessert or a cause you care about.
- Ask people to review your LinkedIn profile and other key profiles – ask if it truly reflects you and what you stand for. Take some time to consider your personal brand and how you are perceived strictly from a digital profile. Be human.
You got this. One step and one fan at a time.
By the way, for thought leadership I was recently published in SMPS’s The Marketer. Check out my thoughts on communicating and marketing to the different generations and let me know what you think!
